Vedanta Aluminium signs contract with GEAR India to install lithium-ion forklifts at Jharsuguda smelter

According to a recent report, Vedanta Aluminium Business has entered into an agreement with GEAR (Gemini Equipment and Rentals Private Limited) India to install one of the largest fleets of lithium-ion battery-powered electric forklifts. Vedanta is the first in Indian aluminium industry to undertake such an initiative to replace its diesel-fuelled forklifts.

Vedanta will commission the 23 new green fleet forklifts in a phased manner over the next few months at its aluminium smelter in Jharsuguda, Odisha.  Installation of these forklifts will reduce diesel consumption by more than 2.5 lakh litre annually, thereby ensuring GHG emission savings of about 690 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Besides, the new lithium-ion forklifts will help maximise productivity of operations by enabling longer working cycles via rapid charging. Vedanta Aluminium currently operates forklifts for finished good handling, material movement, etc.

One of the most unique features of the new lithium-ion batteries is that they avoid the hassle of frequent battery change for having a substantially longer life than conventional lead-acid batteries. In addition, they make use of the cutting-edge ‘Smart Feel Management’ system ensuring highest level of safety at the site. Furthermore, they have forward and reverse cameras, which provide complete visibility to the operators.

Commenting on signing the agreement, Mr Rahul Sharma, CEO at Vedanta Aluminium, said: "Vedanta Aluminium is committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2050. Our partnership with GEAR to deploy one of India's largest and most advanced electric forklift fleets, is in line with our endeavour towards leveraging the power of innovation and technology to make our operations future-ready. In addition to reducing carbon footprint, this initiative uses cloud computing to provide real-time analytics to enhance productivity and further bolster our people's safety."

Mr Varun Chopra, Executive Chairman of GEAR India, added: "Vedanta Aluminium's endeavour to replace fossil-fuelled heavy vehicles with technologically-advanced lithium-ion forklifts at such a mammoth scale is a praiseworthy move. It is our privilege to be Vedanta's partner in this pioneering venture, which will go a long way towards decarbonizing their industrial vehicle fleet. This will serve as an inspiration for the Indian manufacturing industry to explore emerging technology solutions for achieving their Net Zero vision."

GEAR is one of India’s leading Warehousing/Intralogistics Material Handling Equipment (MHE) rental service providers.